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Chemung County, NY

County Executive Santulli Receives Distinguished Service Award from the NYSAC

Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli Receives Distinguished Service Award from the NYS Association of Counties

SYRACUSE - Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli was recognized last week by his county government peers from across the state for his distinguished service to the state's county governments. The 2017 Edwin L. Crawford Award was presented to County Executive Santulli at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) in Syracuse.

In 1975, the NYSAC Board of Directors established the County Distinguished Service Award. In 1995, this award was renamed the Edwin L. Crawford Distinguished County Service Award. The intention of this award is to periodically recognize persons making outstanding contributions to county governments in New York State.

The Association recognized the Chemung County Executive for his leadership in reforming the State's Medicaid program, helping to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, and lowering the program's costs for county taxpayers. Santulli served as the NYSAC president from 2009 through 2010.

'County Executive Santulli has been a tireless champion of lowering costs and improving programs at the county level,' said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. 'His leadership was a critical component to reforming Medicaid and halting years of double digit growth in local Medicaid contributions. His efforts not only lowered local costs, but they also vastly improved the integrity of Medicaid in New York State.'

Today, counties and New York City still contribute $7.5 billion to the State's Medicaid program. However, it is important to note, if not for the County Executive's work through NYSAC, the local share contribution would be well over

$12 Billion a year.

'It is important that we take this opportunity, today, to recognize what we accomplished to rein in costs, alleviate the burden on local taxpayers and produce a better program for taxpayers, patients, and providers,' said Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino, who worked closely with Santulli and other county leaders to help reform the Medicaid program. County Executive Jimino presented the Crawford Award to Santulli on behalf of the NYSAC Board of Directors.